Nice with black Klimax'es but isn't it time for Linn to make their own rack for it like Naim do. This wood thing is a really mismatch to the nice aluminium cases of the equipment imo. It may sound good but it looks like something from an old hut on the mountain side and not something you put in a modern appartment

Just got back. Third time I've been to Whittlebury, so that says something for the format, although this year I found it a bit disappointing. As usual there is a huge amount of hype around the overpriced blingy stuff, but it seemed that the more chrome, the worse it sounded. I went into one room where some solid bronze (I kid you not) speakers were being presented, bronze being the thing we have all been missing over the years. Apparently it amplifies the sound in a way that other materials don't (I was told to think of a church bell, which didn't help) which you have to admit is quite a feat, but I was still slurping my coffee when I was told they cost 40 grand. I nearly choked.
But it's hi-fi, so they probably float somebody's boat.
I also went into a big room where the power amps were the size of mid sized speakers, and the speakers looked like Triffids, with a liberal sprinkling of drive units. I can happily say that I have never heard Private Investigations sound like that. Mark Knopfler pulled of the amazing trick of playing a 10 foot guitar. The high and low notes emanated from different places which is remarkable in itself.

Thank goodness for Peter's room - an oasis of sanity. I found myself returning to ease the pain. Had a good chat with Roger about Tiger Paw etc - learned a little more about the ARO Skale, so, as it's my birthday today, I treated myself, or at least snuck one home to give it a try. I'll report back on the Skale thread later this week - there'll be too much alcohol tonight to allow me anywhere near an ARO!

Came away with some new vinyl too - currently spinning Joe Bonnamassa's Beacon Theatre Live - which is part of the reason for going to the show anyway, so the day certainly wasn't wasted.

Highlights? Well, I'm still drawn to Avalon speakers, and I'm going to line up a home demo of the Music First passive preamp - very promising. The Prometheus turntable was also making good music and is lovely if you like an oil rig in your living room (which I don't). The new Kudos C20 thingies acquitted themselves well too.
Lowlights? Well, too many to mention really, but the hi-fi business really needs a dose of reality sometime.

I don't think I'll be changing anything in my system any time soon (other than maybe a lump of metal) based on what I heard

...hi,
i just got back from the show,...i wont say what i did not like but im going to say what was the most outstanding at the show ...to my opinion obviously.
....ART alnico series speakers (reference, the big ones),..i have never heard anything sounding as good as those speakers. ...my Klimax 350's would never be able to reproduce the music in such a real way!
...the sound was massive and very transpparent!!! and so smooth, just beautiful, no.1 of the show....other electronics with( mcintosh amp, naim streamer)

...Analogue Alchemy Sound Master speakers....Open baffle!!!,
what can i say, Linn still have to work hard to achieve that kind of sound! :-). i would say that was the room no.2....other electronics Analogue Alchemy stuff.

....Gpoint audio, Polish high end audio, and Lampizator ...great analog sound and crazy looking speakers,..sounded great but not loud enough, ...i would say that was the room no.3

...Little bookshelf speakers !!!, i never heard of before, but the sound was massive and i have never heard small speakers to be so full and relaxed! ...Alacrity Audio Caterthun Classic ! wow!!! what a bass !!!!, clean ,so clean and very low....

....kudos titans, hmmmmm, ...i was expectig a bit more, but the general sound wasn't bad, perhaps i did not stay in the Cymbiosis room long enough to have an opinion.

....some rooms kept me in for long and some not. ? hmmm i guess there was a reason for it.

(2012-09-23 19:59)kropka235 Wrote: ...hi,
i just got back from the show,...i wont say what i did not like but im going to say what was the most outstanding at the show ...to my opinion obviously.
....ART alnico series speakers (reference, the big ones),..i have never heard anything sounding as good as those speakers. ...my Klimax 350's would never be able to reproduce the music is such a real way!
...the sound was massive and very transpparent!!! and so smooth, just beautiful, no.1 of the show....other electronics with( mcintosh amp, naim streamer)

...Analogue Alchemy Sound Master speakers....Open baffle!!!,
what can i say, Linn still have to work hard to achieve that kind of sound! :-). i would say that was the room no.2....other electronics Analogue Alchemy stuff.

....Gpoint audio, polish high end audio, and Lampizator ...great analog sound and crazy looking speakers,..sounded great but not loud enough, ...i would say that was the room no.3

...Little bookshelf speakers !!!, i never heard of before, but the sound was massive and i have never heard small speakers to be so full and relaxed! ...Alacrity Audio Caterthun Classic ! wow!!! what a bass !!!!, clean ,so clean and very low....

....kudos titans, hmmmmm, ...i was expectig a bit more, but the general sound wasn't bad, perhaps i did not stay in the Cymbiosis room long enough to have an opinion.

....some rooms kept me in for long and some not. ? hmmm i guess there was a reason for it.

i wish to hear your opinion, best.

Well, I'm not sure I agree...

I heard good sounds/music in four rooms, and two of them were Cymbiosis. The others were studio av and audionote.

I didn't stay to listen to the Art speakers. I've heard them before with McIntosh amps and been underwhelmed. And they change so regularly that I get the feeling that if they abandon the previous best thing, why should I think the next best thing is very good? Prejudice, yes, but I wasn't tempted to stay.

Caterthun was interesting. A good review in HFC, and undoubtedly more bass per cabinet volume than anything I've heard since Saras, but when I walked in they were playing a track I know well, and murdering it.

Studio AV had dcs and Avalon, and I stayed to listen to EST, really foot-tapping stuff - as it should be for the money!

I think you need to approach these shows in the right spirit - don't expect to much in terms of out right sound quality (room quality, noise, lots of people etc) but I view it as a chance to hear some different kit that you won't normally hear and an opportunity to browse and buy some new vinyl...!

Cymbiosis Linn / Kudos C20 Super was the best sounding room at the some IMHO, both with DS and especially with LP12.